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WG3K   > ANS      07.12.24 15:13l 20 Lines 4132 Bytes #165 (0) @ AMSAT
BID : ANS336.3
Read: GUEST
Subj: Japan Launches World's First Wooden Satellite to Test Timber
Path: IW8PGT<IZ3LSV<ED1ZAC<LU1DBQ<LU9DCE<VA3TOK<VE3CGR<KA1VSC<WG3K
Sent: 241203/1952Z 10489@WG3K.#SMD.MD.USA.NOAM LinBPQ6.0.24

Japanese researchers launched the worldâ€Ös first wooden satellite, LignoSat, into space, marking an ambitious step toward exploring the viability of timber for lunar and Martian construction. This pioneering satellite, developed collaboratively by Kyoto University and Sumitomo Forestry, was sent to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX mission from NASAâ€Ös Kennedy Space Center on November 4, 2024. Once at the ISS, LignoSat will be released into orbit approximately 400 kilometers (250 miles) above Earth.

LignoSat, a 1U-sized CubeSat, carries an Amateur Radio mission that will extract callsigns from the FM packet data signals uplinked, and respond to them by using the CW downlink with their call signs.
An educational mission is to educate students to learn about the characteristics of the satellite by acquiring its housekeeping data such as the internal temperature, the strain of the wooden structure, and the Earthâ€Ös magnetic field and calculating the rotational direction and rate of the satellite as well as observing the effect of the space environment on the wooden structure.

The satellite, whose name derives from the Latin word for "wood," is a compact, palm-sized structure. LignoSatâ€Ös mission is to demonstrate the potential of wood as a sustainable and durable material for space exploration. Takao Doi, a former astronaut and a current researcher at Kyoto University, expressed that using timber could pave the way for constructing habitats that support human life and work in space indefinitely. “With timber, a material we can produce by ourselves, we will be able to build houses, live, and work in space forever,â€� Doi said.

Doiâ€Ös team is working under a 50-year vision of building timber structures on the Moon and Mars, planting the seeds for future space-based infrastructure. The researchers opted for Honoki, a type of magnolia tree native to Japan traditionally used for sword sheaths, after conducting a 10-month experiment on the ISS. Honoki proved its resilience, leading to its selection as the core material for LignoSat. The satellite was constructed using a traditional Japanese craft technique without screws or glue, showcasing innovation steeped in heritage.

One of LignoSatâ€Ös key roles in its six-month orbit will be to measure the endurance of wood against extreme space temperatures, which oscillate from -100 to 100 degrees Celsius (-148 to 212 degrees Fahrenheit) every 45 minutes as the satellite shifts from sunlight to darkness. The onboard sensors will also monitor how well wood mitigates space radiationâ€Ös impact on semiconductors, information that could be pivotal for designing data centers and other space-based structures. Kenji Kariya of Sumitomo Forestry emphasized the cutting-edge nature of this research, noting that despite appearing old-fashioned, wood could be integral to future space technology.

The environmental benefits of using wood in space are significant. Unlike conventional metal satellites that produce polluting aluminum oxide particles upon re-entry, wooden satellites would disintegrate more cleanly in Earthâ€Ös atmosphere. “A wooden satellite burns up with much less pollution compared to metal ones,â€� Doi stated. This feature could be an advantage as the space industry grapples with sustainability and the proliferation of space debris.

The team behind LignoSat is optimistic that their experiment could spur wider adoption of timber in space exploration. Doi even hinted at the potential for future partnerships, saying, “If we can prove our first wooden satellite works, we want to pitch it to Elon Muskâ€Ös SpaceX.â€� The successful deployment of LignoSat could mark the beginning of a new era where traditional materials meet advanced space technology, reinvigorating the timber industry and pushing the boundaries of sustainable innovation in space exploration.

A downlink on 435.820 MHz has been coordinated for CW, 4k8 GMSK AX25 telemetry and FM. More info at https://space.innovationkyoto.org/amateur-radio-operators/

[ANS thanks Kantaro Komiya and Irene Wang, Reuters, for the above information.]



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